Textar currently has three R&D centers, Germany, USA and Brazil. The set-up of an R&D facility in China is planned.
“R&D is crucial for the proper working and safety of a vehicle’s brakes. Each vehicle has specific demands. The development of a quality, reliable and safe brake friction part takes between one-and-a-half and two years,” says Fabio Dinino, product specialist – Brake, Control Instruments-Automotive.
In designing the composition of a brake pad, a material mix can consist of up to 25 different ingredients. There are approximately 200 different raw materials and 250 formulae in Textar’s brake friction portfolio.
In designing and testing its products, Textar adheres to international standards. One of these standards, the ECR-90 standard, covers two areas: braking performance and physical testing. Textar also complies with other key standards including ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001.
The ECR-90 performance test measures average and metric hot friction values, speed sensitivity and static friction. Textar goes a step further and tests stopping distance, high-temperature speed, cold friction and stability.
The physical part of the test covers brake compressibility and shear resistance. Textar measures additional factors including heat transfer, corrosion, laquer resistance, pad swell, noise generation, pedal-feel, brake response, pad and disc life, and disc crack behaviour.
“In addition, Textar tests include brake inertia and noise levels. The tests are performed at the company’s in-house testing centers which include on-road trials at Texter’s outdoor track where approximately 100 test vehicles are used in downhill and high-speed tests. Overall, up to 300 000 test kilometers per pad/lining is completed in the development of any new Textar brake friction product,” says Mr Dinino.
About TMD Friction
TMD Friction is among the world’s leading manufacturers of brake friction materials for the automotive and brake industries. Its product portfolio comprises disc brake pads and drum brake linings for passenger cars and commercial vehicles together with brake pads for racing cars and friction materials for rail and industrial applications. TMD Friction is one of the largest suppliers to the global replacement parts aftermarket with its Textar, Pagid, Mintex, Don and Cobreq brands. Brake pads for rail and industrial applications are developed and produced under the brand names Cosid and Dynotherm. TMD Friction has operations in Germany, the United Kingdom, and three other European countries, as well as in the US, Brazil, Mexico, China, Japan and South Africa. The TMD Friction Group employs approximately 4,800 people worldwide. For further information please visit www.tmdfriction.com.
About Control Instruments
The Control Instruments group is primarily focused on the automotive after-market in sub-Saharan Africa through its subsidiary, CI-Automotive. The company was originally established in 1948 and today manufactures and distributes premium-branded automotive parts and associated products to the sub-Saharan Africa automotive after-market.
Brand names owned or exclusively represented by CI-Automotive in sub-Saharan Africa include Gabriel, VDO, Echlin, Autocom, Acsa-Mag, Mag Brakes, Warn, Hi-Lift, Textar, Eurocable, Contitech and Truck-Lite.
CI-Automotive comprises its trading division in Johannesburg and Gabriel manufacturing facility in Cape Town.
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Brakes, Braking and Road Safety
